New members of the House of Representatives have assembled in Canberra for an orientation session.
The new members – 23 Liberals, 6 Nationals, 11 ALP, 1 Independent and 1 Palmer United Party – were addressed by the outgoing Speaker of the House, Anna Burke. She reminded them of the privilege it is to be one of only 1,133 members who have been elected to the House of Representatives since Federation in 1901. For non-members, Burke’s speech provides a fascinating insight into the life of a member of parliament.